singletrack on a hybrid/cross bike not working out-- suggestions needed

I have an actual mountainbike, a 1989 Trek 830 that I got in high school. I rode the piss out of it, but it's in decent mechanical shape after all these years. I actually never did any technical singletrack back in the day, more mundane single/two-track and it was my all-purpose commuter and fitness bike too.

18 years later, I got back into cycling. Stop me if you've heard this.

I bought a hybrid. It's a Cannondale Quick CX Ultra (same model now called CX 1) with a Magura/Cannondale Super Fatty DLR80 headshok fork. It weighs 27 pounds, noticeably lighter than the old dog Trek. Everything is tons better.

Except.. as I ride more singletrack, it becomes very obvious that there are 2 big problems with the hybrid:

1. severe toe overlap due to frame geometry, particularly super-short wheelbase. I'm not good enough to ride around this issue so I will rub my foot on the tire a few times per session and strike a low pedal if I'm trying 12 & 6 o'clock to avoid overlap.

2. narrow rear tire clearance. I'm currently running aggressive cyclocross knobbies but they're only 700x35mm. I think I could get certain 29x2.0 to fit. But there's no way in hell larger would go like a 2.2 or 2.4. narrow tires suck on roots and rocks.

TL;DR
Here's the suggestions needed part. I would like to spend less than a grand. The closer to $0, the happier my wife will be. Should I:

A. Hunt for deals over the winter on a new/used 29er frame & fork, then bring over everything I can from my hybrid

B. Buy a cheapo complete 29er, BikesDirect and the like

C. HTFU and keep riding the hybrid, figuring out how to ride around the toe overlap.

My 26" MTB is 22 years old with a rigid fork and most crucially it is a 17.5" frame because I was 5'8" my freshman year of highschool and am 6'0" now. I can ride a 19" or 21" depending on TT length and other geometry but riding the old MTB is comical at best.

If I get a new cheapie bike (poll option #2) I would definitely get a 29er rather than 26".

I just wanted to know from the point of view of a mountain biker why you'd choose a 29er over a 26er and if which you'd prefer between 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4 tires. I was considering perhaps building up a touring bike that could go everywhere. I haven't figured out yet which wheel size or tire size.

My hybrid has 29er wheels on it already. They are 2mm narrower than a typical 29er rim, but you can definitely mount a 29x2 on them without issue. So for option 1, new frame & fork, this has cost advantages. For option 2, I won't get into the 29er vs 26" debate but I'll just reiterate that I would buy a 29er.

I would start fresh and get a new bike. Decent frame, fork, and tires will probably cost you 2/3 the price of a complete bike, which will almost certainly have better brakes and tougher wheels - if you have to upgrade those things later on then your cost advantage at that point is blown to hell.

Last edited by scyclops; 10-04-11 at 03:29 PM.

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When you price out the two options, consider the possibility that you may have to buy a new wheelset eventually as your riding gets more aggressive. The hybrid wheelset was not designed or built for the punishment of rocky singletrack.

If you add a decent MTB wheelset to the shopping list - frame, fork, headset, stem, tires, tubes, maybe front derailleur if yours doesn't fit the new frame, maybe cables/housings if yours aren't long enough, will your crank/BB be compatible with the new frame? what about pedals? - I think you'll be close enough to the price of a new bike that the custom build no longer makes sense $-wise. (and this is assuming you don't have to buy any tools - crank puller, BB tool, cassette tool, chain whip, cable/housing cutter, etc.)

I also suspect it'll be a lot easier to sell a complete hybrid bike vs just the frame/fork.

All that said, I've spent too much money on my own builds numerous times, just for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Last edited by scyclops; 10-05-11 at 09:39 AM.

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Very good advice, thanks! I hadn't considered cables but I think it is very likely I would need them since the wheelbase is so different. I agree about wheels too, particularly that I would want to go tubeless.

Perhaps I should ride the hybrid the rest of the season, see what I can get for it either in winter or spring, and then decide if I'm building or buying a 29er.

I hadn't considered cables but I think it is very likely I would need them since the wheelbase is so different. I agree about wheels too, particularly that I would want to go tubeless.

You would very likely be buying a new crankset and/or BB too. I once tried to use cranks off a Raleigh hybrid on a mountain frame. Due to the wider spacing on the MTB frame the inner chainring hit the chainstay - wouldn't even go on the spindle all the way.

Last edited by scyclops; 10-05-11 at 09:52 AM.

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We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart?

You would very likely be buying a new crankset and/or BB too. I once tried to use cranks off a Raleigh hybrid on a mountain frame. Due to the wider spacing on the MTB frame the inner chainring hit the chainstay - wouldn't even go on the spindle all the way.

Would a longer bottom bracket make a difference then? I mean if you had a 68x113mm bb, would it make it with a 118mm?

Probably, I gave up on it at that point (it was a frankenbike that was to be sold), but a BB would add at least another $20 to ColinL's build - sometimes it's all the nickel-and-dime stuff that pushes you over budget.

Last edited by scyclops; 10-05-11 at 10:16 AM.

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We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart?